Childcare Diaries

ay?”

It was Brielle.
Last night, he thought he would just be a bother if he stayed, so the child who had been watching from afar, having tears in his eyes, found Barry as soon as morning came.

“Young Master, how have you been?”

“Hmm.”

Brielle looked at Barry’s legs wrapped in bandages and gave a sad expression.
These days, the people in the mansion keep getting hurt, so he feels bad.

“How is this brother doing?”

“I think the crisis has passed, according to the physician.”

Fortunately, Siege’s fever went down at dawn.
Then, Barry sighed.

“But, I didn’t get to see Ellie…”

Barry took care of Siege last night, so he didn’t hear about Ellie until the end.
The child who was nowhere to be seen made him grow increasingly anxious.

“That…”

Brielle’s eyes fluttered as he realized that his uncle and Marie had not told Barry.

“What’s going on?”

Barry asked urgently at Briel’s unusual reaction.
He abruptly got up from his seat as he opened his mouth again.

“I need to go see Ellie.
Where is she now?”

“In the room….”

Brielle answered in a small voice.
As soon as Barry heard the answer, he sprinted out.

‘What the hell is going on? Why did the people who were aiming for the County choose our family.’

What is with the assassins who seemed to be aiming for him, plus Ellie?

Barry shook his head as he recalled the past when their safety had never been threatened even though they were poor.

Didn’t his sister try to dump Ellie instead? It was a much more unhappy time than now.

While he was having some bad thoughts that then disappeared, he passed the annex with the guest rooms, and he finally entered the main building.
He wanted to sprint all the way to Ellie’s room though his leg was injured.

He barely climbed the stairs and arrived at Ellie’s place.

Barry knocked and opened the door.

“Ellie…”

His eyes fluttered.
The younger sister, who should have smiled and greeted him, lay still with her eyes closed.

“Barry.”

Marie, who was sitting inside, greeted Barry.

“What happened?!”

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“Sit down for a moment.”

Saying so, Marie, looking anxiously at her bandaged brother, pointed to the seat.

“Hmm…”

Marie, looking at Barry’s legs sitting next to her, finally opened her mouth.

Tears welled up in Barry’s eyes when he heard the story.
His eyes never even shed tears when he was in such danger.

“…Barry.”

At the sound of his sweet older sister’s voice, he burst into tears.
His sobbing shoulders were showing how hard it was for the child.

“When will Ellie be able to open her eyes?”

“I do not know.
The physician said nothing was wrong, but she kept closing her eyes like this…”

Carefully, he placed his hand on Ellie’s forehead.
Thankfully, it didn’t seem like it was going to open or anything.

“…Who is the culprit?”

“There’s one captured, so we’ll be able to catch them.”

“Yes.”

The child with the struggling expression looked so tired.

“Barry, you know that we have to be stronger in times like this, right?”

“Hmm.
do not worry.”

Nonetheless, Marie was worried that Barry, who was still wounded, might collapse mentally.

‘Ellie, you have to wake up quickly…’

Her troubles only deepened.

***

It was Siege who first regained consciousness.

Raising his eyes at Barry’s compassionate care, he burst into laughter at the fact that he was beaten like this.

“You are human, too, of course.”

“Yeah, I’m a human, too.”

“Why can’t my house be a normal family?”

Siege didn’t know what Barry was thinking to himself.

“Is this the County?”

“Yes.
I have contacted your family separately.”

“Still, no one would come looking for me.”

It was right.
No one came to protest or come to the County, in spite of the fact that Kentrail was prepared for a clash between the families.
There must have been a rift within the Kaylers, he speculated.

“The physician said that you had to lie down for one more month to heal.”

“One month…?”

“Huh.
I know it’s hard, but why don’t you stay here for a little while and then go back?”

“Right.”

He didn’t say he would go back or stay.
His mind seemed complicated.

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“I think you injured your leg, too.”

“That’s right.
It’s nothing compared to you, though, because I only need one more week in bandages.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

It was a sincere voice.

“And, the other knights?”

“Everyone is all right, thanks to you.
Without you, we would all be dead.
Why the hell did you hide that skill until now? If it were me, I would have quickly graduated from the academy.”

At that, Siege laughed softly.

“Usually, it would be like that.”

Saying that, he looked so sad that he didn’t seem like the friend Barry knew.
Still, he couldn’t ask anymore.

“Who the hell was after us?”

“I do not know either.
I haven’t heard the details.”

“Hmm.
We got hurt like this.
Don’t we deserve to hear what’s behind it?”

This was also the Count’s internal affairs, so Barry couldn’t say anything.
“There are many secrets in our house and in other people’s houses.”

He just has to face his friend bitterly.

 

***

 

It was a strange thing.

Less than a day after Siege opened his eyes, Ellie opened her eyes, too.
Needless to say, Marie was greatly relieved.

She hugged Ellie to her chest tightly.

“Sister, I’m out of breath.”

“Do you know how long you’ve been lying in bed?’

“Huh.
Of course.
Look at the mess of my hair.”

Marie, who had grabbed Ellie, let her go.
“Everyone was worried about you.
By the way, Barry is back.”

“Brother?”

“Yeah, he was here until now.
I have to call the physician since you already woke up.”

“Huh.
But, what about Derek, who was protecting me?”

Worried, Ellie’s eyes fluttered as she asked that.
The child trembled in fear that maybe something was wrong with him.

“Don’t worry, he’s fine.
He is much healthier than you.”

“Thank God…”

Marie patted Ellie, as the maid came in after she pulled the string next to her.

“Oh, Ellie is awake…!”

The maid was sad because the child didn’t wake up.
The same goes for everyone else in the mansion.
The tomboy child who was actively running around was gone.
It was rather empty.

“Yes.”

Ellie’s smile was less bright than usual.

The maid hurried out, saying that she would call the physician.